Working the Night Shift Promotes Cancer

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Working the Night Shift Promotes Cancer

By David Gutierrez

 

(Natural News) The World Health Organization's International Agency for

Research on Cancer (IARC) is adding working the night shift to a list of possible

carcinogens, after conducting an analysis of the existing research on the

topic.

The

IARC reviewed studies on night workers, primarily nurses and airline crews, and

found that those who worked overnight were more likely to develop cancer than

those who worked during the day.

"There

was enough of a pattern in people who do shift work to recognize that there's

an increase in cancer," said IARC carcinoma working the Night Shift Promotes Cancer

By David Gutierrez

 

(Natural News) The World Health Organization's International Agency for

Research on Cancer (IARC) is adding working the night shift to a list of

possible carcinogens, after conducting an analysis of the existing research on

the topic.

 

The IARC reviewed studies on night workers, primarily nurses and airline crews,

and found that those who worked overnight were more likely to develop cancer

than those who worked during the day.

 

"There was enough of a pattern in people who do shift work to recognize

that there's an increase in cancer," said IARC carcinogen classifications

unit head Vincent Cogliano.

 

Animal studies have shown that animals forced to stay awake at night and sleep

in the light develop more malignant tumors and die sooner than animals with

normal sleep cycles. Research on humans has also linked years of overnight work

among women to higher breast cancer rates, with a similar effect on prostate

cancer in men.

 

Once factor behind the link may be melatonin, which a hormone that the body

produces primarily at night. Melatonin has a role in regulating the body's

internal clock, and also plays a role in the immune system. Because melatonin

breaks down when the body is exposed to light, workers who sleep during the day

and are active in well-lit places at night may have an excess of melatonin.

 

 

In addition, overnight workers tend to be sleep deprived, because it is

impossible to fully reverse the body's internal clock.

 

"Night shift people tend to be day shift people who are trying to stay

awake at night," said Mark Rea, director of the Light Research

Center at Rensselaer

Polytechnic Institute.

 

Sleep deprivation has been linked to a variety of negative health effects,

including suppression of the immune system.

 

According to Aaron Blair of the National Cancer Institute, switching between

day and night work is even harder on the body than only working at night. Blair

recommends that anyone who has to work at night make an effort to sleep in a

darkened room after work.

 

"The balance between light and dark is very important for your body,"

Blair said. "Just get a dark night's sleep."gen classifications unit

head Vincent Cogliano.

 

Animal studies have shown that animals forced to stay awake at night and sleep

in the light develop more malignant tumors and die sooner than animals with

normal sleep cycles. Research on humans has also linked years of overnight work

among women to higher breast cancer rates, with a similar effect on prostate

cancer in men.

 

Once factor behind the link may be melatonin, which a hormone that the body

produces primarily at night. Melatonin has a role in regulating the body's

internal clock, and also plays a role in the immune system. Because melatonin

breaks down when the body is exposed to light, workers who sleep during the day

and are active in well-lit places at night may have an excess of melatonin.

 

In addition, overnight workers tend to be sleep deprived, because it is

impossible to fully reverse the body's internal clock.

 

"Night shift people tend to be day shift people who are trying to stay

awake at night," said Mark Rea, director of the Light Research

Center at Rensselaer

Polytechnic Institute.

 

Sleep deprivation has been linked to a variety of negative health effects,

including suppression of the immune system.

 

According to Aaron Blair of the National Cancer Institute, switching between

day and night work is even harder on the body than only working at night. Blair

recommends that anyone who has to work at night make an effort to sleep in a

darkened room after work.

 

"The balance between light and dark is very important for your body,"

Blair said. "Just get a dark night's sleep."